Expanding Horizons of Pediatric POCUS: Applications in the Older Child.

Point of care ultrasonography (POCUS) is being increasingly employed in the emergency room as well as in intensive care units (ICUs) to guide rapid management of sick children while avoiding shifting them away from their primary treating physician. The examination must be targeted, with a checklist approach based on clinical signs, to enable both speed and accuracy. This review brings forth some less explored applications of POCUS, in order to expand its scope. The first section deals with thoracic applications, including detailed evaluation of pleural collections and diaphragmatic motility. The second section deals with abdominal applications, including the common causes of acute abdomen in children. The third section deals with evaluation of vessels in shock. Finally, the last section touches upon bedside ultrasonography guided procedures in children. Defined US criteria available in literature for abdominal pathology as well as established indices which can be calculated have been also detailed in this review.